Envelop.



UNITED STATES,

rFIcE.

. ATEN'T ENVELOPI SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 725,866, dated April 21, 1903.

Application filed June 30, 1902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT E. PATTERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Smithfield, in the county of l/Vetzel and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful'Envelop, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to envelops, and has for its object the production of an envelop affording increased security without material increase of the expense of manufacture.

The invention consists in a novel arrangement of wings having interlocking or interengaging adjacent ends and overlapping flaps adapted to inclose and securely protect the wings and their engaging ends.

The invention further consists in arranging one of the flaps with a reversely-folded edge whereby a pocket is formed to receive and support the sealing-flap and at the same time folding over and protecting the interlapping edges of the wings.

Other novel features of the invention will appear in the annexed description and be specified in the claims following.

In the drawings illustrative of the inven-' tion, Figure 1 is a view of the blank from which the envelop is formed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the envelop partially folded. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line III III of Fig. 2,showing the envelop folded.

In constructing the envelop which is the subject of the present invention a blank is formed, as shown in Fig. 1, consisting of the back portion 10, having Wings 11 12 extending from its ends, a sealing-flap 13 extending from its upper edge, the front 14: of the envelop extending from the lower edge of the back 10, and a combined protecting and pocket-forming flap 15, extending from the lower edge of the front 14:, as shown. The wings ll 12 are adapted to be folded over upon the rear or back 10 along the lines indicated at 16 17. The outer ends of the wings 11 12 are preferably of less width than at the points where they are united to the back portion 10, and the outer ends of these Wings will be folded over along thelines indicated by the dotted lines 18 19, the folds being reversed, as indicated at 20 in Fig. 2, so that when the parts 11 12 are folded over the edges 18 19 will interlock, as shown at 20 in Fig. 2.

Serial No. 113,813. (No model.)

When the front portion 1 1 is folded over along the line 21, the part 15 will be twice folded along the lines 22 23 into the position indicated in Fig. 2. The joint 20 will be pasted together, and the ends of the front portion 14: will likewise be pasted upon the inner ends of the flaps 11 12 at the points indicated at 23 24 in Fig. 2, the folded portion 15 being at the same time folded in between the parts 11 12 and the back 10, thereby forming a protection to the interlocking portion 20 and at the same time forming a pocket for the reception of the fiap 13. The inner surface of the flap 13 will be gummed in the usual manner, and the portion between the lines 22 23 of the portion 15 will likewise be gummed, so that when the envelop is folded the outer side of the interior of the pocket formed by the folded part 15 will be capable of affording an additional protection or sealing-surface when moisture is applied thereto by adhering to the outer ungummed surface of the flap 13, while at .the same time moisture applied to the gummed surface of the fiap 13 will cause it to adhere to the ungummedside of the'pocket, as will be understood; By this simple means the envelop is doubly sealed and itssecurity thereby greatly increased. This is an important feature of the invention and renders it practically impossible to open the envelop without destroying it, thereby affording ample protection to the contents of said envelop.

The interlocking ends of the flaps ll 12, together with the protection afforded by the folded part 15,which covers and secures them, is a very important feature of the invention, the interlocked flaps affording double security to that part of the envelop, while in addition to this the whole upper edges of the flaps 11 12, together with the interlocking portion 20, are covered and protected by the folded pocket-forming edge or portion 15. By this means it is practically impossible to gain access to the envelop from the flap side without destroying it, so that all danger of tampering with the contents of the envelop will be ob- Viated, as any attempt to surreptitiously open it will be at once apparent. The ends of the flaps 11 12 where they merge from the back portion 10 being of the same width as the back portion 10 cover the contents of the envelop at the ends and amply protect it from any attempt at surreptitious removal by opening the envelop at these points.

The envelops may be formed of any required size or shape and of any suitable material and may be employed for all the various purposes for which envelops are used.

If the envelop is desired to be used for mailing circulars or other second-class matter, the flap 13 and the portion between the lines 23 24B will be left ungummed and the interlocking ends 20 only secured by pasting. By this means an envelop which is adapted to be opened for the ready examination of its contents by the post-office officials is provided, which at the same time will afford ample security to its contents. With an envelop thus constructed and the end portions 23 24 left unsealed the contents of the envelop may be readily observed by the postoffice officials without disconnecting the flap 13 by merely pressing the opposite edges together, and thereby causing the front and back portions to bow outward and revealing the contents of the envelop through the opening between the curved lower edges of the flaps ll 12 and the bottom of the envelop, as will be readily understood, while the contents are securely held from accidentally slipping out.

It will be noted that dependence for the protection of the contents of the envelop is not based wholly upon the pasted flap, as in the ordinary envelop. In the latter if for any reason the pasted flap becomes loosened by the failure of the paste to adhere the contents of the envelop are liable to fall out, whereas in the structure herein shown the flap 13 is supported from both sides in the pocket formed by the folded portion 15, so that even if the adhesive surfaces become loosened the flap is not thereby released, but continues to protect the contents. Then, again, by providing the double-sealing feature the chances for both the adhesive surfaces becoming loosened are very remote, and consequently the chances for the escape of the contents are lessened at least one-half.

If for any reason the pasted ends should become loosened, the contents could not escape nor be removed surreptitiously, as the flaps 11 12 would amply protect them.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. An envelop comprising front and rear members foldable together, wings extending from the ends of one of said members and having oppositely-disposed. folds for interlocking engagement, the other member having an inwardly-folding fiap on its free edge extended over the upper edges of said end wings for holding them in position and protecting them from accidental disengagement, and a sealingflap carried by one of said members.

2. An envelop-blank foldable to form front and rear members, one of said members having laterally-extending end wings cut away at their lower edges to form reduced terminal ends, said ends being creased to fold in opposite directions to form interlocking end flaps, said member having a sealing-flap at the upper edge thereof, the other member of said envelop-blank having its free edge creased to form a double flap the first fold thereof being adapted to extend downwardly on said member forming a protective pocket for the upper edges of said interlockable end wings and having another crease adapted to form another flap to be folded back upon itself for forming a pocket to receive the sealing-flap of the other member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT E. PATTERSON.

\Vitnesses:

O. W. EDGELL, J. W. EDGELL. 

